porter and alonzo norton



@uitrit gisten atent @fitta Letters'Patent No. 79,917, dated July 14, 1858.

IMPROVEMENT IN GANG-PLOW'.

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Ble it known that we,.JOIIN F. PORTER and ALoNz/O NORTON, of Tidioute, inthe county of Warren, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and improved Gang-Plow; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in whichl Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section through line fr x ot' g.,2.

Figure 2 is a plan, and V p Figure 3 is a detached rear elevation of one of the plows, with its supportingstandards.

In this improved gangfplow, each plow has a hinged Coulter, which severs the weeds, roots, die., and by which the plow is drawn forward. The heel of each plow is hinged to its standards, and a new supportingframe, and new means of attaching and adjusting lthe plows upon it, are employed; by means of all which improvements, a lighter, neater, stronger, and more completely adjustable gang-plow is produced than has ever heretofore been brought into use. Y

In the drawings, A'A are the wheels, B the axles, and (l the supporting-frame, theflatter being constructed of two rockers orrbolsters, c c1, resting on the axles, and four or more longitudinal sleepers "or beams, `c2 c3 c4 c5, united by mortise and tenen 'to the rockers `at equal distances apart, as seen in iig. 2.

I) D1 D2 are 4the plows, each one having a chain, E, attached to it, which passes uD over a roller or windlasys, F, in order to ai'ordvthe means for readily raising and lowering the plows.

The windlasses are provided with/levers G G, and ratchet and pawl H. y

Eachplow is also provided withja sharp-edged eoulter, VI, hinged at z' to the plow just behind thc point, and at its upper end having a 'draught-chain, J, attached to it, which `extends to the forward axle, and is fastened there in any convenient manner that willadmit of its being readily adjusted in length. The draught of the plow comesuplon this chain. By shortening or lengthening the chain, the pitch of the plow may be adjusted and controlled, as described,A

The coulter is made to rake forward, forming a sharp-cutting angular edge with the plow-point, in which angle sticks, weeds, 3pc., will be severed with the outlay of but little power. l

The heel of the plow` is supported by two standards, K K, to the lower end of which it is hinged, as'seen at m, in tig. l

The standards are connected by a round, o', and Vpass Aup through a. socket or slot, S,in or attached to the beams c2 c3 e4 c5. One side or edge of the standards, at their upper end, is formed into a rack, u, which engages with a pin or tootlrin'the socket, when the rack is pressed'against such pin, and thereby holds the standard in place, and retains the heel of the plow at any desired elevation.4

A cam or eccentric-wheeh, just behind` the rack', in the socket, and provided with a lever, p, serves to press the standard against the pin when required. l

The leversppp are all within easy reach of the drivers foot, as he sits' in the seat L, and, by pressing upon them with his foolt,`he can hold the plows in place, with their heel at any'elevation, giving them any required pitch, or he cand'rop them, and allow the plow to rest with its whole weightupon or in the ground. This construction not only1 renders the plow light, simple, and inexpensive, but by bringing thedraught on 'the forward part ofthe plow, it renders the latter stronger, and, by supporting the plow on the hinged standards and Coulter, it enables it to be adjusted at any required pitch, so that, it' desired, only its point and sides shall come. in contact with the soil, thereby avoiding the friction thatresults from the plows resting with its whole weight upon the ground. V

` The-weight ot' the plow, and-of the soil which it turns up, is supported bythe frame C and the wheels A A. It will be observed that the wheels, axles, and frame C compose an ordinary wagon. When the plows are not in use, they, with their connected gear, may be removed, and the rest of the apparatus employed as a .common farm-wagon. A farmerhaving a common-wagon, need not procure an additional set of wheels, axles,

. l l u,

and supporting-frame C fol-his gung-plow, if he uses our invention; he need only attach his plow-geni' to his old wagon, thus saving the greater part of the cost of the apparatus. i

Hoving thus described our invention7 what We claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent', is- 1. The hinged Coulter I, attached to the plow, a-nd operating :is described. 2. A plow, so constructed and. operating that the draught is mainly or wholly upon the point, as herein set forth.

The combination of the hinged standards K K with the plow D, substantially as described. I 1. The combination of the mok il, socket S, com o, lever vp, standard K, :ind plow D, substantially as described, :1nd for the purpose set forth, i

The above specification of our invention signed by us, this'Qth day ol' May, 1868.

JOHN F. PORTER, ALONZOv NORTON. Witnesses:

Ronr C. BEACH, ED. A. STEVENS.

Witnesses:

Cms. A. PETTIT, SoLoN C. KEMON. 

